Bloomberg Dismisses Reports Of Concerns About 9/11 Event

By MATT FLEGENHEIMER

Published: August 19, 2011

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg rebuffed concerns on Thursday that the 10th anniversary ceremony for 9/11 had grown excessively politicized, shrugging off reports of kerfuffles over the guest list and itinerary at the day's memorial event.

''There's very few politicians,'' he said of a roster, which will include two presidents, two mayors and four governors. ''This first and foremost and only is for families.''

Donald T. DiFrancesco, who was New Jersey's governor in 2001, this week became the latest figure to receive an invitation - but only after the staff of the current governor, Chris Christie, contacted the mayor's office to ask that he be included.

Mr. DiFrancesco, the mayor said, will perform the same duties as any other speaker during the ceremony: reading from a selected passage or poem. Some local members of Congress will also attend, he added, but will not speak.

Mr. DiFrancesco said he did not learn about his inclusion until Thursday morning. Several weeks ago, he contacted Mr. Christie's office asking to attend the ceremony as a spectator, he said, but never lobbied for a speaking role.

''I just wanted to be there,'' he said. ''I'm pleased, but it's not anything I ever wanted to make public. I just wanted to be there to honor the people who should be honored.''

Mr. DiFrancesco said he was most likely overlooked at first because he left office in January 2002, just as Mr. Bloomberg was entering. He said he was neither surprised by, nor particularly upset with, his initial omission.

''It was Governor Christie who pursued the angle that I should participate, not me. In his mind, it was a matter of fairness,'' Mr. DiFrancesco said. ''I wouldn't call them to ask to be included. I don't have that kind of ego.''

On Thursday, according to The Star-Ledger, Mr. Christie also repeated his call to include David Samson, chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, in the program. Mr. Bloomberg said Mr. Christie had not contacted him to express any frustration with the handling of the event.

''He's not a shrinking violet,'' the mayor said. ''If he had something to say, I'm sure he'd pick up the phone.''

Mr. Bloomberg also denied reports that New York's governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, had requested a more prominent role in the proceedings.

''We're not going to let anything get in the way of reminding us what happened that day,'' Mr. Bloomberg said. ''It's much too solemn an event, and I'm sure Governor Cuomo and Governor Christie understand that.''

This is a more complete version of the story than the one that appeared in print.